Sexuality

Sexuality gathers Christian Standard articles that explore God’s design for sex, marriage, and the body through a biblical lens. Here you’ll find teaching on purity, temptation, singleness, marriage intimacy, sexual brokenness, and cultural questions surrounding sexual ethics. These articles aim to help readers pursue holiness with humility and hope, uphold the goodness of God’s design, and respond to others with truth, compassion, and grace.

February 24, 2012

Mark E. Moore

How Should the Church Relate to Those with Same-Sex Attraction?

By Mark Moore Individuals with same-sex attraction make up as much as 6 percent of the male population and 4.5 percent of females (though some studies estimate half that). Those are not insignificant numbers, especially when same-sex attraction involves you or someone you love. The church traditionally has not been particularly welcoming of such individuals, and a number of Scriptures have been cited to validate responses that are sometimes violent””verbally, emotionally, occasionally even physically. Because I am a follower of Jesus Christ, it is unconscionable for me to reject in the body of Christ some of the most spiritually sensitive

June 1, 2011

Christian Standard

Same-Sex Marriage””What Should We Do?

By Ben Cachiaras Editor”s note: As the Maryland state legislature considered a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, earlier this year, Ben Cachiaras encouraged his congregation, Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland, to respond in a way that honors Christ. (The bill ultimately died without being passed.) Below is an excerpt from what Ben wrote in March. Christians need to think carefully about this issue. Here are a few incomplete thoughts and observations, offered humbly into the discussion: “¢ The landscape in America has changed. Recent polls confirm what we already know””that a growing number of Americans are prepared to recognize gay

May 7, 2011

Christian Standard

Cohabitation for Idiots

By Arron Chambers OK, I can hear what you’re thinking. This is an opinion section in the Christian Standard, and you’re going to try convinciing me that living together before marriage is a bad idea. Why don’t you stop wasting my time and tell me why I’m right to believe it’s a sin for women to serve Communion? Well, because I’m not and you’re wrong, but that’s just my opinion and not the point of this opinion piece. And anyway, I’m the one who was asked to write an opinion article about something I care about and I want to

March 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Balancing Grace and Truth with Homosexuals

By Darrel Rowland Read the sidebar, “How to Help,” by Darrel Rowland Heated battles over gay marriage issues rage from California to Maine. Loud people from a tiny church in Kansas tote signs saying “God Hates Fags” and protest at funerals of troops killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Gay activists contend that many Christians” philosophy on homosexuality, “hate the sin but love the sinner,” is akin to “keep slavery but love the slaves.” Debates multiply over hate crimes legislation, proposals to add sexual orientation to antidiscrimination laws, the implications of such concepts as “don”t ask, don”t tell” or “equal rights,

March 7, 2010

Christian Standard

How to Help

By Darrel Rowland Read the main article, “Balancing Grace and Truth with Homosexuals,” by Darrel Rowland There’s sin. There”s sexual SIN. And then there”s HOMOSEXUAL SIN. At least that”s how we Christians often act. And that”s a big reason why Christian leaders” struggles with homosexuality (1) are more prevalent than many believe and (2) go unaddressed for so long. Many times the inner battle remains secret until the all-but-inevitable blowup or crisis. That”s usually when Dr. John Walker gets a call. For more than 15 years, Walker, a licensed clinical psychologist, has run Blessing Ranch, a sprawling facility on 166

March 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Searching for Causes of Homosexuality

By Kent Paris One would think those working within the social sciences would share in common the answer to the question, “What is homosexuality?” but this is not the case. You would think the staggering volume of a century”s worth of published psychiatric literature detailing the common pathologies observed in tens of thousands of people suffering from homosexuality would convince everyone, even the skeptic, that it is a treatable disorder”“”“but that it is, indeed, a disorder. This was the case until the 1970s. In a stunning, bloodless coup, gay activists pulled off an amazing overthrow within the American Psychiatric Association

March 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Our Ministry to Gays and Lesbians

By James C. Donovan “I am so glad you are doing this Bible study. The churches who teach the Bible as God”s Word don”t want me there and the churches who welcome me don”t teach the Bible as God”s Word.” Those words will be a lasting memory from my effort in ministering to gays and lesbians. The man who uttered those words at a Bible study in a home was a delightful person who called himself a believer and openly admitted his homosexuality. He had only recently come out of the closet and was genuinely struggling with his lifestyle and

March 3, 2010

Christian Standard

Some Who Read This Are Homosexuals

By Mark A. Taylor Several years ago a friend asked me to read an opinion piece about homosexuality he had written for a Christian audience. Frankly, I don”t recall what he wrote, but I do remember his reaction after one comment I made to him. “We need to keep in mind that some who see this will be homosexuals,” I said. The look on his face told me he”d never thought of that. He”d probably react differently today. So would I, because as one writer this week indicates, homosexual may not even be the best word to use when we

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